Foam generator for floor conditioner



y 5, 1966 G. R. WOLTER ETAL 3,258,803

FOAM GENERATOR FOR FLOOR CONDITIONER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 25, 1963 0 FM m H|\\\\ A0 M HUlllllllll mun; INA l l l I l l IWIIU M I I 0 I 3 n n a r 7 ll l1 3 h 5 A 4/ 9 6 7 3 y 5, 1966 e. R. WOLTER ETAL 3,258,803

FOAM GENERATOR FOR FLOOR CONDITIONER Filed June 25, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 y 1966 G. R. WOLTER ETAL 3,258,803

FOAM GENERATOR FOR FLOOR CONDITIONER 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 25, 1965 m m w m July 5, 1966 G. R. WOLTER ETAL 3,258,803

FOAM GENERATOR FOR FLOOR CONDITIONER 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 25, 1963 y 1966 G. R. WOLTER ETAL 3,

FOAM GENERATOR FOR FLOOR CONDITIONER Filed June 25, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS F /3 mam/Mam 4w 9 BY 415w ,qmwmmcz/e United States Patent Office 3,258,803 Patented July 5, 1966 3,258,803 FOAM GENERATOR FOR FLOOR CONDITIONER Gilbert R. Wolter, Eimhurst, and Alfred F. Ernstberger, Broadview, Ill., assignors to Sunbeam Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed June 25, 1963, Ser. No. 290,474 12 Claims. (Cl. 15-50) The present invention relates to a combined floor conditioner and rug scrubber and more specifically relates to a floor conditioner having means provided for generating foam usable in scrubbing rugs.

In recent years, light portable machines for scrubbing and polishing floors have become extremely popular. Simplifications in structure and high volume production has permitted these floor polishers or floor conditioners, as they are often called, to be sold at very low prices compared to the larger commercial units which were used for the home up until a few years ago. These polishers conventionally include an electric motor and a gear reduction interconnecting the motor with one or more horizontally disposed disc type brushes. One example of such a polisher is disclosed and claimed in Jepson et a1. copending application, Serial No. 106,085, filed April 27, 1961, now Patent No. 3,102,292, which application is assigned to the same assignee as the instant application.

Inasmuch as the modern home normally has a number of rooms in which rugs or carpets cover the floor, there is a recognized need for an appliance for cleaning such rugs and carpets. As a consequence, there have been attempts made at adapting the conventional floor polisher to the scrubbing of rugs. Since the floor polishers are primarily adapted to scrub and polish hard surface floors, there are a number of problems which must be solved in adapting the floor polisher to rug scrubbing. One of these problems involves the supporting of the polisher so that the entire weight of the polisher is not carried by the rotating brushes. It has been found that if the entire weight of the polisher is carried by the brush bristles, there is a tendency for the brushes to cause excessive wear in the nap of the rug. In addition, the polisher is difficult to control when all the weight is on the brushes since the nap of the rug tends to cause the polisher to unbalance and displace itself in an undesirable manner. This support problem is conventionally solved by attachments which are applied to the floor polisher. These attachments take the form of wheel or roller supported dollies which carry a portion of the weight of the polisher while supporting the unit with the bristles in engagement with the nap of the rug. One example of such a rug scrubbing attachment is disclosed and claimed in Jepson et al. Patent No. 3,068,503 which is assigned to the same assignee as the instant application.

A second problem encountered in using the floor polisher for rug scrubbing relates to the depositing of a suitable cleansing material or solution on to the rug. Some use has been made of dry or powdered materials which are sprinkled on the rug and rubbed into engagement with the nap whereby the dirt is removed therefrom. It has been found, however, that a properly prepared foam made from a detergent liquid is less expensive and more effective for rug cleaning. Since most floor polishers are equipped or adapted to be equipped with reservoirs for dispensing detergents or Wax on to hard surface floors, it was a logical development to utilize these liquid reser voirs or dispensers for detergents to be applied to rugs for rug cleaning. When depositing detergents from such dis pensers, there is a tendency for the solution to fall on the rug and move downwardly into the nap before it has been turned into a foam. The detergent liquid must be made to foam if it is to be properly distributed across the rug to pick up the dirt contained therein. With the detergent deposited in liquid form, most of the liquid soaks into the rug while only a small percentage is churned into foam by the engagement of the bristles with the liquid saturated portion of the nap. As a consequence, the rug becomes soaked with much detergent liquid which is ineffective for cleaning purposes. This soaking of the rug is wasteful of the detergent and retards the drying of the rug to a degree at which it may be used again.

To obtain most efiiicent utilization of the detergent and to minimize the wetting of the rug, it is necessary to combine the detergent with air to produce a dry foam before it is deposited on the rug. When reference is made to a dry foam, it is intended to described a foam having a very small amount of liquid entrapped in the bubbles of foam. It has been found that through the use of a dry foam, it is possible to clean a rug thoroughly and have it completely dry and ready for use in a matter of a few hours. There have been many attempts at generating foam from a detergent solution for use in rug scrubbing. There are available on the market today foam gene-rating attachments which may be used with vacuum cleaners. There are also elaborate commercial devices utilizing very complex structures to perform the foam generating function. It would be desirable to provide a simple foam generating means which could be incorporated in all floor polishers at a very small increase in price.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved floor conditioner having a simple inexpensive foam generating means associated therewith.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved floor conditioner having a foam generating device integrated with the motor for the floor polisher to provide a simple and effective means of producing foam for rug scrubbing.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a floor polisher having an improved motor supporting and enclosing structure which has integrated therewith a foam generating means.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a floor conditioner having a liquid dispenser which may be alternatively connected to the polisher housing to deposit liquid on the floor or into a foam generator associated with the conditioner.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a foam generator for a rug scrubbing device in which the motor cooling air is directed to a generator for producing a dry detergent foam.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a floor polisher having a foam generator which is supplied with air from the motor by means of simplified air delivery conduits formed within the mot-or housing.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out with a particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a floor conditioner and rug scrubber of the present invention showing the liquid dispenser associated therewith;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front elevational View of the lower portion of the floor conditioner of FIG. 1 with certain portions thereof cut away more fully to illustrate the invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the lower portion of the floor conditioner of FIG. 1 with the handle portions removed and certain portions cut away to show the foam generating means associated therewith;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom plan view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the motor housing with a portion thereof cut away on line 5--5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the motor housing with portions thereof cut away along line 66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the motor housing with the motor and its supporting frame removed;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of the floor conditoner of FIG. 1 with the handle and housing removed;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view of the housing for the floor conditioner taken on line 99 of FIG. 3 with the motor and supporting frame removed for simplicity;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a floor conditioner and rug scrubber which represents an alternative embodiment of the invention from that shown in FIGS. 1 through 9;

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of the lower portion of the floor conditioner of FIG. 10 with certain portions thereof cut away to illustrate more fully the invention;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged front elevational view of the foam generating attachment shown assembled to the floor conditioner in FIG. 10; and

FIG. 13 is a bottom plan view of the discharge portion of the foam generating attachment shown in FIGS. 10 through 12.

Briefly, the present invention is concerned with a floor conditioner having means for generating foam from a liquid detergent by using the motor cooling air which would normally be discharged from the motor housing. The motor supporting frame is provided with an integrally formed foam generating chamber which is connected by a conduit to the liquid dispenser or reservoir, and means integral with the motor housing directs the air circulated through the motor down into the foam generator. The invention is also concerned with the provision on the motor housing of means to alternatively connect the liquid dispenser so that it may either supply liquid to the foam generator or directly to the floor beneath the polisher.

Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated a floor conditioner generally designated by the reference numeral which floor conditioner comprises a handle assembly 21 pivotally mounted to a housed power unit generally designated 22 which unit is enclosed within a housing 23. Associated with the unit 22 are a pair of counter rotating brushes 24. Removably supported on the handle assembly 21 above the power unit 22 is a liquid dispenser or reservoir 25.

The dispenser 25 includes a removable cover 26 for a filling opening and a manually operable control 27 which is part of a valve for controlling the flow of liquid from the dispenser 25. At the lower end of the dispenser 25, there is a flexible tube or conduit 28 through which liquid is discharged when the valve control 27 is moved axially upwardly. For a disclosure of the details of the control valve and the dispenser mounting, reference may be had to the above-cited Jepson et al. copending application, Serial No. 106,085.

Enclosed within the housing 23 is a motor 31 which is mounted on a frame or base member 32 with the axis of the motor extending vertically. The motor includes an armature having a vertically disposed shaft 33 which supports at its upper end a fan 34. The lower end of the armature shaft extends through the frame 32 into driving engagement with reduction gears 35, the output of which drives the brushes 24. The details of the motor 31, the reduction gears 35 and the manner in which they are drivingly related to the brushes 24 are fully disclosed in the above-cited Jepson et al. application.

The most significant aspect of the invention is the simplicity of the structural modifications which may be made to any floor polisher such as, for example, the polisher shown in the above-cited Jepson et a1. application to provide means for generating foam within such a floor polisher. The base member 32 which supports the motor is essentially unchanged except for the addition of a foam generator 37 which extends upwardly from the front of the frame 32. This foam generator 37 comprises a passageway or chamber which extends vertically and is open at the upper and lower ends as is best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. To produce foam within the generating chamber, it is necessary to supply air and a liquid detergent thereto. The air supplied to the foam generator 37 is the same air as is used to cool the motor 31 and which is circulated by the fan 34.

The interior of the housing 23 is divided by a baffie or wall member 38 into a high pressure air chamber 39 located above the motor 31 and a low pressure air chamber 40 occupying the remainder of the interior of the housing 23. When the motor is operating, the fan 34 draws air inwardly through a slot 41 extending across the front of the housing 23 and through the side openings 42 through which the lower ends of the handle extend for pivotal connection by pivot bolts 43 to the frame 32. Thus, the slot 41 and the side openings 42 comprise the air inlets through which the motor cooling air enters the low pressure air chamber 40.

To permit air to enter the motor 31 and move axially upwardly, there are a plurality of openings 44 between the field structure and the frame 32. After passing through the motor 31, the motor cooling air moves through an opening 45 in the bafile or wall member 38 and thus enters the high pressure air chamber 39 within which the fan 34 is rotated.

The air chamber 39 is defined by the bafile 38, the top of the housing 23 and a generally cylindrical scroll 46 which is best shown in FIGS. 7 and 9. The scroll 46, as viewed in FIG. 7, increases gradually in radius moving clockwise toward an opening 47 which opening extends to the front wall of the housing 23. The scroll serves to direct the air which has been circulated upwardly through the motor radially or forwardly against the front wall of the housing 23.

Within the opening 47 in the scroll 46, the baffle 38 is formed with an oval opening 48 to permit discharge of the motor cooling air downwardly to the foam generator 37. A flexible plastic sleeve or cylinder 49 is mounted with the upper end thereof received Within the opening 48 in the baffle 38. The lower end of the plastic sleeve 49 is received over the upper end of the foam generator 37 thus providing an air conduit between the high pressure air chamber 39 and the foam generator 37. The plastic sleeve 49 is stretched slightly over the foam generator 37 and is deformed from its cylindrical shape at the top in fitting into the oval opening 49 so that it is held securely without the need of any additional assembly means as is best shown in FIG. 8. While the baffie 38 is retained between the scroll 46 and the top of the motor 31, assembly screws 50 are utilized to prevent lateral displacement from the position shown. The arrows in FIG. 3 illustrate the manner in which the air is circulated by the fan 34 through the opening 47 in the scroll downwardly through the plastic sleeve 49 into the foam generating chamber 37.

Inasmuch as it would be desirable to use the liquid dis-- penser 25 for dispensing detergent or wax on the floor as well as for supplying liquid detergent to the foam generator 37, there has been provided a novel means for permitting alternative connections for the dispenser 25. The rear wall of the housing 23 is provided with a depression 55 within which is formed two conduit connectors within either of the recesses 56a or 57a, it forms a fluid tight connection.

Within the housing 23, the conduit connectors 56 and 57 are formed with nipples 56b and 57b, respectively, to which additional lengths of plastic tubing are secured. The nipple 57b is provided with a short piece of tubing 58 which extends downwardly through an opening 54 in the frame 32 to a point several inches above the floor and adjacent the brushes 24. When the dispenser conduit 28 is connected to the conduit connector 57 as shown in FIG. 6, the fluid detergent or wax from the dispenser 25 may be deposited directly on the floor in the area adjacent the brushes 24.

The foam conduit connector 56 is provided with a liquid conduit 59 which extends around the outside of the motor 31 and within the housing 23 from the nipple 56b to the foam generator 37 positioned in front of the motor 31. To permit the liquid conduit 59 to extend into the center of the foam generator 37, there is provided a notch 37a in the side wall. The generator 37 is made up of a cylin drical portion 3712 which extends substantially vertically and a venturi 37c formed in the upper end of the cylindrical portion 37b. Extending sidewardly from the cylindrical portion 37b is the tube supporting wall 37d which is formed at its upper edge with a continuation of the notch 37a. The tube 59 is made of any suitable flexible plastic material and has an enlargement or pheripheral bead 59a formed a short distance from the end thereof. The enlargement 59a is received in a second notch 37:: which extends transversely to the notch 37a. The notch 37c and the cooperating enlargement 59a prevent lengthwise displacement of the tube 59 within the notch 37a.

To retain the tube 59 within the notch 37a, a resilient retaining clip 60 is employed. The clip 60 is generally U-shaped fitting over the top of the tube supporting wall 37d with the bight portion covering the notch 37a within which the tube 59 is received. A small piece of foam material 61 is clamped against the liquid conduit 59 by the retaining clip 60. As is best shown in FIG. 2, the portions of the foam piece 61 extending on either side of the retaining clip 60 bulge upwardly from the top of the liquid conduit 59. The portion of the foam material 61 on the side of the retaining clip 60 closest to the foam generator 37 serves to seal the space between the lower edge of the plastic sleeve 49 and the resilient conduit 59. As is evident from the sectional view of the foam generator 37 in FIG. 3, the notch 37a would provide an opening to the foam generator 37 between the sleeve 49 and the conduit 59 were it not for the foam material 61 which occupies this space.

In its assembled position, the end of the tube or conduit 59 extends into the foam generating chamber 37 to a central point immediately above the constriction defined by the venturi 370. As is indicated by the arrows in FIG. 2, the motor cooling air is discharged downwardly through the sleeve 49 into the venturi 370. As the air passes into the venturi, the detergent liquid flowing through the conduit 59 is deposited in the air stream. The high velocity of the air stream and the turbulence immediately below the venturi causes a preliminary generation of foam below the venturi 370. This foam may be considered wet or damp foam inasmuch as there is much liquid carried by the foam bubbles which have been produced at that point. To produce additional foam and to reduce the liquid content of the foam created by the venturi action, a screen or foraminous wall 62 is secured to the lower end of the foam generator 37. The screen is retained in position by means of a C-ring or snap ring 63 which is deformed to fit within the cylindrical wall of the casting and exerts an outward force thereon preventing downward displacement of either the C-ring 63 or the screen 62 retained thereby. To provide a bypass around the screen 62, the base member 32 is formed with a slot 64 as may best be seen in FIGS. 2 and 4. The slot 64 extends upwardly in the cylindrical wall portion 37b to a point above the screen 62 so that if lint and other foreign material obstruct the screen 62, liquid may bypass the screen and drain off to prevent the foam generating chamber 37 and the tube 49 from becoming filled with liquids thereby damaging the motor 31.

To best understand the simplicity of the above-described foam generating device, a brief consideration should be made of the parts which have been added to convert a simple floor polisher into a floor conditioner having the foam generating feature. The base member 32 has been modified somewhat to include the foam generating chamber 37, but little has been done to increase the cost of this part since the generator is integrally molded with the base member. Similarly the housing 23 has been modified to include the scroll 46 for directing the motor cooling air forwardly to the point at which it moves downwardly toward the foam generating chamber 37. Similarly the rear wall of the housing 23 has been modified to provide the two conduit connectors 56 and 57. Both of these lastmentioned changes add little or nothing to the cost of the unit. The parts required to establish the fluid detergent and air connections to the foam generating chamber 37 are only the tube or conduit 59 and the plastic tube 49 together with the baffle 38 and a few minor assembly means. These parts, with the addition of the screen 62 and its retaining means, make up the small number of parts necessary to add the useful function of foam generation to a floor conditioner.

In FIGS. 10 through 13, there is shown an additional embodiment of the invention which serves to further emphasize the simplicity of the foam generating device as well as pointing out how the foam generator might be made as an attachment for an existing floor conditioner. There is shown in the second embodiment a floor conditioner designated generally by reference numeral 70 and including a handle assembly 71, a housed power unit 72 and a liquid dispenser 73. The floor conditioner 70 may be identical to the one disclosed in the above-cited Jepson et al. application having a housing 74 for the power unit which housing includes air inlet openings 75 and air discharge openings 76 through which the motor cooling air is drawn into housing 74 and discharged therefrom, respectively. In this alternative embodiment, the foam gen erating means consists of an attachment generally designated by reference numeral 78 which may be detachably mounted on the housing 74 of the floor conditioner 70. The attachment 78 includes a hood portion 79 which is received over the top of the housing 74. It includes side walls 80 and a top 81. A suitable rubber gasket 82 is secured to the lower edges of the side walls 80 to insure a reasonably fluid tight seal between the hood 79 and the housing 74. The hood is adapted to enclose the air discharge openings '76 on the housing 74.

Connected to the hood 79 and extending downwardly therefrom is an integrally formed plastic conduit 83 which is in communication with the interior of the hood 79. The lower end of the air conduit 83 is provided with a constriction 84 to achieve a high velocity of air flow therethrough. To permit introduction of liquid detergent into the air stream flowing through the constricted portion 84, a sidewardly extending passageway 85 is formed on the lower end of conduit 83. A vinyl tube 86 extending from the dispenser 73 is received within the outer end of the passageway 85. Thus by operating the suitable control valve on the dispenser 73, liquid detergent may be dispensed through the vinyl tube 86 into the constricted portion 84 of the conduit 83 and foam is generated within the lower end of conduit 83. A screen or foramino-us wall 87 is suitably mounted in the lower end of the conduit S3 to insure creation of foam from all the liquid detergent dispensed into the conduit 83. The attachment 78 is assembled to the floor conditioner 70 in the manner shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 so that the motor cooling air is discharged into the hood 79 from where it is delivered through the conduit 83 to the foam generating area.

While there have been illustrated and described several particular embodiments of floor conditioners having foam generating means associated therewith, it will be appreciated that numerous changes and modifications thereof will occur to those skilled in the art, and it is intended in the appended claims to cover all those changes and modifications that fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a floor conditioner, a frame supporting on its underside a pair of closely spaced counter-rotating disc brushes mounted for rotating engagement with the floor, a motor mounted on the upper side of said frame and drivingly connected to said brushes said motor having a vertically disposed armature shaft, a fan driven by said armature for circulating air upwardly through said motor for cooling purposes, a foam generator on said frame adjacent to said motor, air conduit means at the top of said motor for redirecting downwardly to said foam generator said cooling air discharging from said motor, a liquid detergent reservoir, conduit means for delivering liquid from said reservoir to said foam generator, said foam generator comprising a passageway having a constriction to increase the velocity of air passing therethrough and a foraminous member positioned across said passageway below said constriction, said liquid being delivered to said passageway in the area of said constriction said passageway extending downwardly below said frame to discharge foam between and adjacent to said brushes.

2. The floor conditioner of claim 1 wherein said motor is enclosed by a housing and said air conduit means comprises the top of said housing and a tubular air conduit extending downwardly to said generator.

3. In a floor conditioner, a frame supporting on its underside a brush mounted for rotating engagement with the floor, a motor mounted on the upper side of said frame, and drivingly connected to said brush, said motor having a vertically disposed armature shaft, a fan driven by said armature for circulating air upwardly through said motor for cooling purposes, a foam generator adjacent to said motor, air conduit means at the top of said motor for redirecting downwardly to said foam generator said cooling air discharged from said motor, a liquid detergent reservoir, conduit means for delivering liquid from said reservoir to said foam generator, said foam generator comprising a passageway having a constriction to increase the velocity of air passing therethrough and a foraminous member positioned across said passageway below said constriction, said liquid being delivered to said passageway in the area of said constriction, said air conduit means comprising a generally inverted cupshaped detachable hood, a motor housing having openings from which said motor cooling air is discharged, means for securing said hood on said housing with said housing extending into said hood having said openings positioned within said hood, said hood including a downwardly extending air conduit which supports said foam generator at the lower end thereof and carries said motor cooling air to said generator.

4. A floor conditioner comprising a frame supporting on its underside a pair of closely spaced counter-rotating disc brushes mounted for engagement with the floor, a motor mounted on the upper side of said frame and drivingly connected to said brushes, said motor having the armature shaft thereof disposed vertically, an inverted cup-shaped housing mounted on said frame enclosing said motor, a bafile extending horizontally to divide said housing into a high pressure air chamber disposed above a low pressure air chamber, a fan driven by said motor to circulate cooling air from said low pressure chamber through said motorinto said high pressure chamber, a

foam generator having a liquid detergent supply means, air conduit means connecting said high pressure chamber to said generator to supply air to said generator, said foam generator comprising a passageway having a constriction to increase the velocity of air passing therethrough and a foraminous member positioned across said passageway below said constriction, said liquid detergent being delivered to said passageway in the area of said constriction said passageway extending downwardly below said frame to discharge foam between and adjacent to said brushes.

5. The floor conditioner of claim 4 wherein said fan is disposed in said high pressure air chamber and said baffie is supported at the upper end of said motor, and a scroll formed integrally with said housing walls and surrounding said fan to direct air into said air conduit means.

6. The floor conditioner of claim 4 wherein said foam generator comprises an integrally formed passageway in said frame adjacent said motor, said air and liquid detergent being mixed in said conduit to generate foam.

7. In a floor conditioner, a frame supporting on its underside a brush mounted for rotating engagement with the floor, a motor mounted on the upper side of said frame, said motor having an armature supported for rotation on a vertical shaft with the lower end thereof extending through said frame into driving connection with said brush, a housing carried by said frame and enclosing said motor, a foam generator formed integrally with said frame and including a passageway extending from the upper side to the underside thereof to discharge foam adjacent said brush, said passageway having a constriction to increase the velocity of air passing therethrough, a liquid detergent supply having a conduit connected to said foam generator to supply liquid detergent in the area of said constriction, a foraminous member positioned across said passageway below said constriction, a fan driven by said motor for circulating cooling air upwardly through said motor, a baflle extending across said housing to divide said housnig into a high pressure and low pressure air circulation chambers, air inlet opening being formed in said housing to permit entrance of motor cooling air into the low pressure chamber, an opening in said bafile to permit said motor cooling air to be discharged into said high pressure chamber, and air conduit means interconnecting said high pressure chamber with one end of said foam generator passageway.

8. A combined rug scrubber and floor polisher comprising a motor drivingly connected to a polishing brush, a liquid reservoir having a valve controlled discharge conduit, a housing enclosing said motor, said housing having first and second conduit connectors for detachable connection with said discharge conduit on the exterior of said housing, a foam generator positioned within said housing, a first conduit providing fluid communication between said first connector and said generator and a second conduit associated with said second connector to discharge liquid on the floor beneath the housing.

9. A combined rug scrubber and floor polisher comprising a frame supporting a motor on the upper side and a polishing brush on the bottom, said frame being formed with a foam generator having a passageway extending therethrough, a housing carried by said frame and enclosing said motor and generator, a first and a second downwardly extending recess provided in the Wall of housing, a first liquid conduit in fluid communication with said first recess and said foam generator, a second conduit in fluid communication with said second recess and extending through said frame to a point adjacent said brush, a liquid detergent reservoir having a valve controlled supply tube extending therefrom, the end of said supply tube remote from said reservoir being insertable into either of said recesses to form a fluid tight connection for supplying liquid detergent alternatively to said generator and directly to the floor.

10. The combined rug scrubber and floor polisher of claim 9 including means driven by said motor for circulating air through said motor and into said generator wherein said air and liquid detergent are mixed to produce foam.

11. The combined rug scrubber and floor polisher of claim 10 wherein said housing is provided with integral wall portions forming a high pressure air chamber into which the motor cooling air is discharged and air conduit means extending from said chamber to said generator.

12. A combined rug scrubber and floor polisher comprising a motor drivingly connected through reduction gearing to rotate a floor engaging brush, a foam generator, a unitary housing for enclosing said motor and foam generator, handle means pivotally connected to said motor, said handle supporting a liquid reservoir, a flexible conduit in fluid communication with the bottom of said reservoir, a pair of conduit connections formed on the exterior of said housing each of which may detachably receive one end of said flexible conduit, said conduit connections having openings extending through said housing, a first conduit within said housing extending from one of said conduit connections to a point adjacent said brush for depositing a liquid directly on the floor, a second conduit within said housing extending from the other of said conduit connections to said foam generator to permit delivery of liquid from said reservoir to said generator.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,532,565 12/ 1950 Miller. 2,683,884 7/1954 Kohl 154S 2,735,125 2/1956 Erbs 15-320 X 2,923,956 2/1960 BiXler 155C 2,986,764 6/1961 Krammes 15-326 3,075,540 1/1963 McKeegan l5--50 X FOREIGN PATENTS 210,361 9/ 1957 Australia.

774,294 12/1934 France.

701,409 12/ 1953 Great Britain.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT L. BLEUTGE, Assistant Examiner. 

8. A COMBINED RUG SCRUBBER AND FLOOR POLISHER COMPRISING A MOTOR DRIVINGLY CONNECTED TO A POLISHING BRUSH, A LIQUID RESERVOIR HAVING A VALVE CONTROLLED DISCHARGE CONDUIT, A HOUSING ENCLOSING SAID MOTOR, SAID HOUSING HAVING FIRST AND SECOND CONDUIT CONNECTORS FOR DETACHABLE CONNECTION WITH THE DISCHARGE CONDUIT ON THE EXTERIOR OF SAID HOUSING, A FOAM GENERATOR POSITIONED WITHIN SAID HOUSING, A FIRST CONDUIT PROVIDING FLUID COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID FIRST CONNECTOR AND SAID GENERATOR AND A SECOND CONDUIT ASSOCIATED WITH SAID SECOND CONNECTOR TO DISCHARGE LIQUID ON THE FLOOR BENEATH THE HOUSING. 